Blogroll

Unheard Anecdotes And Unforgettable Moments In World Cricket

The Ugly Fight Between Denniss Lillee And Javed Miandad

Cricket is a gentleman’s game.At least that’s what the purists say..In the past,the real gentlemen who played the game of Cricket were only a few and in modern day’s Cricket there is hardly anyone..You may disagree and I may be wrong but this is my view point after watching a series of dirty incidents and unwanted verbal duels in the last three decades..The Dennis Lille-Javed Miandad feud in Australia is the worst ever incident to happen in Cricket and reflects the dirtiest shade of the game to the Cricketing world…

With that said I will also have to confess that in spite of so many many highs and lows, Cricket is still a great sport by itself and real wisdom lies in enjoying the game the way it is meant to be enjoyed.

Here are some of those great Cricket anecdotes, sledges and rare good and bad incidents that occurred in the world of Cricket in the past few decades.

Allan Border Vs Imran Khan

Those were the days in the beginning of the eighties when the world Cricket was dominated by the power packed West Indies Cricket Team and the subtlety packed England Cricket Team…Pakistan also played a major part in the domination but not with their skills in the game but with their poor standards in umpiring.

The Flamboyant Pakistani Fast Bowler Imran Khan In Action

During one of those days,Imran Khan,the captain of the Pakistan Cricket team met Australian captain Allan Border in an informal meeting in Sydney..During a chat Imran told Allan Border “AB,give me Sunil Gavaskar and B.S.Chandra Shekhar from India,we will beat Australia..”..In a shocking reply Allan Border said “..Imran,just give me two Umpires from Pakistan and we will beat the whole world..”…Imran Khan was left speechless..

Later,the furious Imran Khan complained to the Australian board..On pressure from his board,Allan Border tendered apologies to Imran Khan and Pakistan Cricket Board.

An Ugly Incident Between Collin Croft And A New Zealand Umpire

During 1980-81 the mighty West Indies came to New Zealand to play a three match test series.Technology was poor in those days and no proper surveillance from International Cricket Council(ICC) was in order.The standards of umpiring in this particular series was the worst ever and it is only after this controversial series the ICC has decided to introduce the neutral umpiring system.

Every appeal by the New Zealand bowlers and fielders,during this series,was upheld by the umpires and even genuine appeals by the West Indian cricketers were turned down.

It resulted in the loss of the first test for West Indies.The whole of the Cricketing world was shocked and could not digest this..New Zealand Umpire,Fred Goodall was the worst of the officiating umpires in that series..

The Fearsome Pace Battery Of West Indies(L to R)Andy Roberts,Michael Holding,Collin Croft and Joel Garner

In the second test played at Napier, Collin Croft,bowled a superb bouncer to Richard Hadlee..The ball kissed the gloves of Hadlee and landed in the hands of wicket keeper Deryck Murray.. Collin Croft and Murray made a loud appeal..Umpire Fred Goodall turned it down..Next ball by Collin Croft was deliberately declared a no ball by Goodall.There was nothing the mighty West Indians could do.

But the deadly fast bowler Collin Croft could not take it lightly.While bowling the next delivery Collin Croft came furiously close to Fred Goodall and pushed him violently with his bowling arm(elbow) and delivered the ball much to the surprise of Richard Hadlee.Later, a highly agitated Fred Goodall walked to the W I captain Clive Lloyd and reported..After kicking a lot of dust in the Cricketing World this storm gradually subsided.

This disgraceful incident occurred in February,1981 in Melbourne,Australia during a one day international match between Australia and New Zealand.It was a third match among the best of three finals of the Benson and Hedges world series cup.The series,by then,was interestingly poised with both the teams winning a match each prior to this controversial match.

That was the last over of the match.New Zealand needed eleven runs to win with Bruce Edgar batting at one end..Australian captain Greg Chappell asked his younger brother,Trevor Chappell,to bowl that last over..In that over New Zealand scored four runs and lost two wickets in the first five balls.Seven runs were needed for a win and six runs for a tie..New Zealand tailender Brian McKechnie was facing that last ball with Bruce Edgar remaining 102 n.o at the non striker’s end..There was no way the N Z tailender could hit even a six to tie the match.

Trevor Chappell Bowling The Under Arm Delivery

But Greg Chappell didn’t want to take any chances..Later surprising the fellow team players,N Z batsmen,the Umpires, the commentators and the spectators in the stadium, Trevor Chappell,after due instructions from his elder brother and captain Greg Chappell,bowled an under arm delivery which Brian McKechnie defended..New Zealand lost the match by five runs..Though under arm delivery was considered a legitimate delivery in those days it still did not reflect the sportsmanship of the Australian team.

The prime ministers of both the countries,the Australian crowd, commentators,cricket players including Dennis Lillee and Ian Chappell criticized Greg Chappell for his cheap tactics.

As a result of this incident the ICC,forever,banned under arm bowling from world Cricket.

Read a banner held by a visitor in a stadium in Ahmedabad during a test match between India and Australia sometime in the mid nineties.It was a pretty long banner that caught the attention of the field cameras..When this banner was displayed on the T V screen,Sunil Gavaskar,T V commentator during that match,smiled and said “As a rule Indian Cricket team will have a vice captain only when it is on a tour abroad..During the home series Indian Cricket team will not have a vice captain.”..A great info for an Indian Cricket fan.

This emotional incident occurred,a few years ago,during a boring test series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh..Muralidharan was unplayable in one of those test matches..But there was this great Bangladesh batsman, Ashraful,who defied Murali’s unplayable off spinners,waged a lone battle and scored a spectacularly mind blowing century in that match..

During that immaculate knock,Ashraful was great in technique, sound in his selection of shots and was precise in playing Murali’s teasing off spinners.But unfortunately the great Ashraful could only delay Sri Lanka’s victory but could not halt it.

Later,in the post match presentation ceremony,the man of the match award was anounced and Muttaiah Muralidharan was the only choice for the award.Murali received the award and later surprising everyone in his team and the Bangladesh team,walked up to a confused looking Mohd.Ashraful and handed over his Man Of The Match award to him..Ashraful was speechless..Murali hugged him and said,”..You played brilliantly..Very few players in the world play me with the ease you have played..You are a great batsman and you are my man of the match and truly deserve this award..”

The whole of the stadium went into raptures and gave a standing ovation in honor of the magnanimity displayed by Muttiah Muralidharan,the great…Ashraful was left in tears.

Unfortunately an extremely talented batsman like Ashraful was born in Bangaldesh..If he was born in India,he would have been enjoying an iconic status by now.

Mc Dermott And SachinTendulkar

One of my childhood friends,who played for India,told a gang of our friends some time in 1992 about this dirty incident that took place between Sachin Tendulkar and Craig Mc Dermott during a test match in Australia..My friend who was part of the twin tour of Australia and New Zealand that season,just returned to India..

According to him,the young 18-year old Sachin Tendulkar was hammering the Aussies bowlers in that tour..In one match at Melbourne,Sachin pulled a sharp rising bouncer from one of the the most dreaded Aussie”s fast bowler,Craig Mc Dermott,to the square leg boundary..An irritated Mc Dermott came rushing on his follow through to Sachin Tendulkar and said “..Ba#&*^%#d..come to Perth,I will see you there..”

The Typical Craig Mc Dermott Getting Ready To Bowl

Later,in the next test played at Perth,a fast bowler’s paradise,Mc Dermott was bowling with all the fury in the world..His main target was the young Sachin Tendulkar..He bowled a furious sharp rising bouncer again and Sachin,in a fitting reply for the remarks made by Mc Dermott in the Melbourne test,pulled that bouncer over square leg for a massive six..The ball landed in the viewers’ gallery..After thrashing Mc Dermott to all parts of the ground in similar fashion, Sachin Tendulkar went on to score a spectacular century in that test..

It was after watching this great innings of Sachin Tendulkar, Merv Hughes, another great Australian fast bowler who played in that match told his captain Allan Border,”A B,this little prick’s going to get more runs than you,”…A prophecy, as we all know,that came true much later.

Some Popular And Historical Cricket Anecdotes

>In a test match between Australia and West Indies,Ram Naresh Sarwan was going great guns and scored a superb century..In that innings Mc Grath bowled an unplayable bouncer that zoomed past Sarwan’s face..Mc Grath on his follow through went to Sarwan and said,”..How does Lara’s d#^%k taste,mate..”..Sharp came the reply from Sarwan..”Go and ask your wife..”It resulted in a world war there on the field but subsided with the intervention of Umpires

>In a test match between Australia and England,Ian Botham came to bat at number seven..Greeting him,the ugly mouthed Australian Wicket Keeper Rodney Marsh said..” ..Hi Dude..Howz your wife and my children..??..” Botham known for his spontaneity replied,..”..My wife is fine and your kids are retarded..”

>In a test match between Australia and Zimbabwe the number eleven batsman of Zimbabwe,Eddo Brandes came to bat..He frustrated the Aussies bowlers for a long time..After bowling a bouncer at him,Mc Grath went and asked him..”Why are you so fat man..” Reply came like a bazooka from Brandes..”Everytime I make love to your wife,she gives me a biscuit..”..The entire Australian slip cordon burst into a huge laughter..

>In one of those famous Ashes series,James Ormond,a lesser known English Cricketer came to bat.Laughing loudly at him Mark Waugh said..”F*%$ you Mate,what are you doing here,there’s no way you’re good to play for England..” The young gun didn’t take much time in shooting back..He said..”..May be not mate,but i”m the best player in my family..”

Sourav Ganguly bidding farewell to Steve Waugh after the awards ceremony in Sydney.

>The great Australian batsman Steve Waugh was playing the last test of his illustrious test career in Sydney..It was the fourth in the series between India and Australia..Steve Waugh was waging a great battle to save his country from defeat..The 19-year old Indian wicket keeper Parthiv Patel,just a new entrant into international Cricket,told Steve Waugh from behind the wickets..,”..Come on Steve,just one more of your popular slog sweeps before you quit..”..Steve Waugh turned back and replied..”Look buddy,show a bit of respect.. you were in nappies when I debuted eighteen years ago..”..

Later in the dressing room,the little Parthiv Patel was dressed up a little by his team mates,including Sachin Tendulkar,for that unwanted comment against a great player called Steve Waugh.

The Art Of Cricket Sledging : Famous Sledges From All Time Greats

>After beating Robin Smith of England with a beauty the Aussies fast bowler Merv Hughes,the master of sledging,said..”if you turn the bat over, you’ll see the instructions on the back!..”

>Ian Chappell about England bowler Phil Tufnel..”The other advantage England have got when Phil Tufnell is bowling is that he isn’t fielding.”

>When Daryll Cullinan came to bat in a test match, Shane Warne greeted him saying..” I’ve waited for two years for another chance to humiliate you..”..Reply came in a flash from Daryll Cullinan,..”Looks like you have spent it eating…”

>Before bowling to Mike Gatting in a test match,Dennis Lille said..”Hell Gatt,move out of the way..I can’t see the stumps.”

>In 1979-80, to commemorate the golden jubilee year of Board Of Control For Cricket In India,a special test match was organized between India and England at the Wankhede Stadium,Bombay..Bob Taylor,the England wicket keeper,edged a sharp out swinger from Kapil Dev into the hands of Indian wicket keeper Sayed Kirmani.,All the slip fielders, Sunil Gavaskar,Dilip Vengsarkar and G.R Viswanath,made a loud appeal..The umpire,Hanumant Rao,declared Bob Taylor out..Bob Taylor was walking back to the pavilion..The great Indian batsman and Captain in that match,G R Viswanath,found a sort of surprise and dejection in BOB Taylor’s face before walking..

Much to the surprise of Bob Taylor and the England team, G.R.Vswanath immediately called Bob Taylor back and requested him to continue with his batting ..Later there was a record partnership of 171 runs for the sixth wicket between Bob Taylor and Ian Botham that costed India the match.

Though criticized initially for losing the match,G R Viswanath received praises from all over the Cricket World for his great sportsmanship.

>It was a crunch match between West Indies and Pakistan in the 1987 Reliance Cricket World Cup.The winner of this match will qualify to the knock out stage.The match was in the finishing stages and Pakistan had only two wickets in hand at that time with famous leg spinner Abdul Qadir at the non striker’s end..The fiery Courtney Walsh,as usual,was unplayable..He was coming running to bowl the fourth ball of that crucial over and found non striker Abdul Qadir already leaving the crease to take the next run..Courtney Walsh had every chance and time in the world to just knock down the stumps at the non striker’s end and run Abdul Qadir out..Instead,he just stopped bowling and signaled,with his eyes,to Abdul Qadir to go back into the crease.

This act of magnanimity from the legendary fast bowler,Courtney Walsh,may have costed the match for West Indies but Courtney Walsh will be remembered forever for his great sportsmanship..

I have watched this match live on T V and still remember Courtney Walsh’s pose,with folded hands,while instructing Abdul Qadir to go back into the crease.

Conclusion With The Mother Of All Cricketing Sledges

In a test match between Australia and Sri Lanka the pot bellied Sri Lankan Captain,Arjuna Ranatunga, came to bat..Laughing loudly at Ranatunga’s belly, Merv Hughes said..”..Mate,when was the last time you saw your d$#k…” for which the great Ranatunga replied..”..Long time Mervy…Why don’t you show it to me once..???”.. The Australian slip fielders burst into a huge laughter and kept rolling on the grass for a long time..